Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-08-13
Testimony q hr. Armstrong, Superinlend'
tnt Of The EOad.
THE WORKOF DEMONS.
The Bridge Burned by Human Devils for
The PEIp0ss Of wreoking and
Robbery.
By tsl.rr,ph to ne Dlapa,ch.l

BILLED III the disaster Wednesday night,
which began last evening, was held on
the top floor Of the public-shool house.
There were present only the coroner,
tic jury, Precedent Leonard Of the To
lod0. IeOria and Western railroad, SUI
pcIiniCndent Armstrong. of the same
rosd, Master Of Bridges Markloy, JUS
tee -thc-Peace E.tes, and several re-
IoI,ers of Chicago and Peoria papers.
sUPEnINTENDRyT AEMsTRONG's TEsrI-
sioSY.
The first witness called was Superin-
toId,nt Armstrong. He testified that
lc WIS on the lated train, which CON
sisted of SIX sleepiDg-cars, two chair.
CAR, i've passenger coaches, one spe-
cal car, and one baggage-car, and
va drawn by Engine No. ID, En-
ne,r McCIintock aud Fireman APP
pcerccn. and Engine No. q, Engineer
i'd. sutherland. Engine No. - was
next TO the bagFage-car. The name Of
tie fireman OF Engine No. u witnes.
did not rocolect. His car was next TO
tho hagcage.car. The train left Chats
worth about 10 Wednesday night.
THROWN FROM THE WINDOW.
After leaving he went into his own
car and sat there for three or four min
utcs, when he felt fearful shock to tho
train. The next instant the car passed
over the Burning bridge. He was
thrown ont OF one OF the windows into
hedge fence. Tie got up and asked
one of the fircmen where the first en-
cine was, and WAS told that Engineer
Sutherland had gone TO Gilman for
help. The engineer came in about
three quarters of All hour with doctors.
The wounded were taken out of the
wreck where possible, and sent to
Chatsworth and Piper City, while all
of the dead were sent to ChatswOrth.
Tie bridge was only partially demol-
ishod when witness first saw 1T, the
stringcrs at both ends having gone
down. Dirt and brush were thrown on
the flames. The engine set fire to
nothing and only one car and q
Pullman sleeper were slightly burned.
The witness net the section foreman
near the wreck after the accident, aud
the latter said he went over the section
At 5:3O "Wednesday and there was no
fire there then. Witness had warned
him 10 have the scction-hands 60 over
the section after quitting work, know
ing that the excursion train was going
over the road that night. No train
went over tho bridge after 800 Wednes-
day.
SIX HUNDRED on THE TRAIN.
Witness counted the tickets before
reaching Chatsworth, and found there
were Il few over 600 persons on tho
train. He said he believed that there
vteorly three or four dead persons
in Pipcr CITY. Witness did not think
il possible anybody could have been SO
Geudish AS to bum the bridge. The
train was running, he judged, about
thjrtv-ive miles All hour at the
time Of the accident Engineer Suth-
erlaud told him he saw very small
blaze before reaching the bridge, but
tbought t was from few leaves burn
inc outside tie track. The engineer
also told him that he did not SEQ the
fire until ha got directly over the
bridre. and then he called for brakes,
Int If was too late to avoid the acci-
dent Witness remained at the wreck
until : O'Clock inthe morning aud saw to
the handling OF the bodies. He saw one
or two persons examining the pockets of
the dead. ne was informed 10y those
making the search that they were seek
ING for their relatives. If he had had
any suspicion that the bodies were
being robbed 10y these persons they
wonld have been arrested. He saw no
one robbing the dead or cutting off
the fingers Of the dead to secure rings.
There was plenty of help to get the
bodies ont Of the wreck, valuable as
sistance being rendered by the ChatS,
worth fire company. In the corndeld
near the wreck he heard man calling,
"Help help" Witness went toward
the place and found a man with his
left leg broken above the ankle.
The man asked him to turn
his toes down. Witness did so, and
told farmers hoy who came along
with bucket 81 water TO stay near the
man while witness went TO the assist
ance Of others. In few minutes after
leaving him witness heard shot and,
turning back, found that the man had
shot himself in the forehead. producing
instant death. The boy had mean While
cone away short distance to give
water to another wounded person:
Witness remembered having noticed
the deceased trying TO get something
out Of hi. pocket while witness was
turning his toes inward.
An EXPERTS TESTIMONY.
j II. Maikley, master Of bridges and
buildings Of the Toledo, Peoria ana
Western railroad, testified that he in-
snected the bridge in May last. 1t was
made Of two pile bents, four pilings 10
eacb leut it was fifteen feet long ana
SIX feet high. The stringers were seven
bx sixteen inches, two OF them being
nnder each rail. The ties were SIX ny
.ioht inches aud nine feet long. Inc
.trinpers, ties, and guard rails were PAT
IN fon,teen months ago. The plling
was Good for about two years. Ihere
mas wall Of old tlmbers at
each end OF the bridge to keep
mn the embankment. Its condition was
GOOD, Witness examined the bridge
Yesterday aud found nothing lett but = =
1art Of partially burned curb and .
lew pieces of small timber. The pIiss
were burned off close TO tho gronna.
Three or four of them were sticking
mn two feet above the ground. witness
thought il would take about TWO 6 nours
for such a bridge to burn. Otner
br;aoes on the road had been on fire
tbis wear. but had been seen IN tune 70
n,cvsnt accidents. The burned bridge
Vas about two and q half miles east OF
Chstswortb. At this point the inquest
wss adjourned until today, when En-
c;neer Sutherland, Fireman Apple
Green. several section men, and some
Of the passengers on the train VIII 10
examined.
A PICTURE or THE HOSPITAL.
Aspecial from Forest to the Ifm'es
sa,s. AS fast rs tho wounded were
brought into Chatsworth from 70! the
wreck they we're taken directly 70 the
town hall, which has been turned into
. couaDapy hospital. 1t is = two-st2ry
frame building. tbelewer aoor oivn 9 ~